Johnny Got His Gun (1971)
Average Rating: 6.6/10
Reviews Counted: 20
Fresh: 14 | Rotten: 6
No consensus yet.
Average Rating: 5.2/10
Critic Reviews: 5
Fresh: 2 | Rotten: 3
No consensus yet.
liked it
Average Rating: 4/5
User Ratings: 5,483
My Rating
Movie Info
The author of the famous late 1930's antiwar book Johnny Got His Gun wrote and directed this film adaptation. It concerns a nameless young soldier (Timothy Bottoms) in a veteran's hospital in the World War I period. The young man has had his face blown off, he is without the use of any of his senses save touch, and also has no arms or legs. He is in a coma at the beginning of the film, and his doctors doubt that he will regain consciousness. This is also what they hope. A nurse, while changing
Aug 4, 1971 Wide
May 12, 2009
Cinemation
Watch It Now
Cast
-
Don 'Red' Barry
Jody Simmons -
Timothy Bottoms
Johnny -
Craig Bovia
Little Guy -
Peter Brocco
Ancient Prelate -
Judy Howard Chaikin
Bakery Girl -
Eric Christmas
Cpl. Timlon -
Kenneth Clark
Hospital Official -
Robert Cole
Orator -
Maurice Dallimore
British Colonel -
-
Kathy Fields
The Girl -
Eduard Franz
Col./Gen. Tillery -
-
Ed Gilbert
Priest -
Ben Hammer
Doctor -
Wayne Heffley
Captain -
Marsha Hunt
Mother -
Jason Robards
Father -
Joseph Kaufmann
Rudy -
Kerry MacLane
Joe at 10 -
Charles McGraw
The Girl's Father -
William Mims
Gentleman -
Byron Morrow
Brigadier General -
-
-
Jodean Russo
Nurse -
David Soul
Swede -
Donald Sutherland
"Christ" -
-
Diane Varsi
Nurse -
Gigi Vorgan
Catherine at 13 -
Bruce Watson
Technician -
Sandy Brown Wyeth
Lucky -
Milton Barnes
Reader -
Peter Virgo Jr.
Attendant
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All Critics (20) | Top Critics (5) | Fresh (15) | Rotten (6) | DVD (6)
The film is often sentimental, sometimes brilliant as well as horrifying, and it is intriguing to speculate on what Buñuel, whom Trumbo originally wanted to direct, would have made of it.
Top CriticAlthough Mr. Trumbo is primarily a screenwriter, screenwriting is only the worst of the film's several failures.
Instead of belaboring ironic points about the "war to end war," Trumbo remains stubbornly on the human level.
Problems aside, there's a cumulative power to the material and an idea that's impossible to ignore.
[Trumbo's] filmmaking is frugal -- jump-cuts state the passage of time, a languid fade to yellow signifies solar warmth.
Trumbo, directing his first film, drives home his points in a somewhat obvious, often awkward fashion that is overly talky, but so disquieting is his story and the reality underlying it that it is difficult not to be moved by the film.
Sadly, time has not made this story any less relevant or potent.
Dalton Trumbo (member of the Hollywood Ten) sole directing effort is one of the most hauntingly powerful anti-war film made, an experimental work that's effective as realistic portrait of war's damages as well as metaphoric, quasi-religious journey.
strong historical and literate adaptation of a truly remarkable anti-war classic
a sobering, grueling look at us
Though some could argue over its heavy-handed obviousness and lack of subtlety, Johnny Got his Gun remains a very strong, very disquieting cinematic statement.
The primal power of the story -- a young man trying to find some sense in what's happened to him -- prevails.
Ainda que contenha algumas seqüências memoráveis e angustie pela situação de seu protagonista, este único trabalho deTrumbo na direção é óbvio tanto em sua mensagem anti-belicista quanto em sua abordagem fantasiosa.
Trumbo successfully turns Johnny into the living embodiment of the horror and futility of war -- but also of the unquenchable resilience of the human spirit.
A heartbreaking anti-war allegory that's a bit slow, yet stills commands your attention. Donald Sutherland as a hippie Jesus is a bit too much, though.
This grim soldier's tale has some bad acting and some overextended melodrama, but eventually it hits its stride and becomes a gripping drama.
Audience Reviews for Johnny Got His Gun
Super Reviewer
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- Doctor: He's a product of your profession, General. Not mine.
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Foreign Titles
- Johnny zieht in den Krieg (DE)
- Johnny s'en va-t-en guerre (FR)
PS: I just got to know (via 'Search Results' here) that there's a remake to this, but I don't think I'd be checking it out now. However, if someone tells you that it's executed better than the original, it's only logical you go for the better one (unless you're one of those who heavily despises remakes).